MAJOR ATKINSON AND ELECTORS.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 301, 6 March 1878, Page 2

MAJOR ATKINSON AND ELECTORS.

(To the Editor of the Patea Mail.)

Sir, —I see in a late issue of your paper a letter signed “ Elector,” which contains certain rather serious charges against me of neglecting the interests of the electors of Egmont. As the questions raised are of great importance to the district in general, I invite “ Elector," and any other gentleman who thinks with him, to meet me when I address the electors at Carlyle, Manutahi, Hawera, or Normauby, or at all these places, in order that we may, in a friendly spirit, discuss the matters to which he refers. The proposal will, I hope, meet with the hearty approval of “ Elector.” It will, I am sure, be satisfactory to the public, and will afford me the opportunity I desire of hearing definitely from responsible persons what my shortcomings are, or arc supposed to be. I shall then be in a position to give such answers as I am able, and the electors generally will be enabled to judge how far I have fulfilled the trust reposed in me. —I am, &c.

11. A. ATKINSON, New Plymouth, February'2B, 1878.

MR SHERWOOD IN REPLY. (To the Editor of the Patea Mail.)

Sxu, —Mr Dale’s letter would have been attended to ore this had it been convenient. As this is the first time Mr Dale has openly attacked me, some answer is due ; but there is really very little to reply to. The effusion generally is but a display of envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness —worthily characteristic of the writer —who is eminently great in small things, and ridicaously small in groat. There are two points in Mr Dale’s letter worthy of notice, in order to dissipate an erroneous impression. The first is with reference to my application for some reserves to bo vested in the Carlyle Town Board. That is true, but the application was made prior to the existence of the Harbor Board, when application was made for all reserves within the town—not with the object, as Mr Dale would insinuate, of diverting - the proceeds from the objects for which the reserves were set aside—but with the object of securing the reserves against manipulations. In alt cases where reserves were vested in the the Town Board i’o>* other than “ Town Improvement purposes,’' separate accounts were opened ; and this would have been done in the case of the river frontages, notwithstanding what Mr Dale says. The following quotation from Mr Dale’s letter is unique ; “ Myself and Captain Wray considered the river frontage should be reserved for Harbor Board purposes.” Well, no doubt Captain Wray feels flattered by the assumed connexion—“myself and Captain V/rap," —what a combination !

As far as securing reserves is concerned Captain Wray has always had lliat credit which is due to him freely accorded. My friends can bear witness to that. As to my share in securing reserves, Mr Dale may, if lie likes, sa} - it is nil. —but that will be simply untrue, like most of ids statements.

The other point is my proposition to sell the leases for a lump sum, and that such a proposition “is ridiculous.” Bo says Mr Dale. My object is, and lias been, to get money in, ami commence Harbor works; and it yet remains for Mr Dnlo to prove tiiat my proposition was unsound, or that my actions have been unwise—for this, or indeed for any other public matter, the dictum of honest-minded people will be in my favor. A free discussion on any of my public acts will meet with attention, if conducted openly by Mr Dale ; but there is one condition he must first comply with. Mr Dale has probably not forgotten that, at Kakaramea, he deliberately and wilfully perverted the truth —at the same time ho charged me with the guilt. When forced to admit what he called his “ error,” he tendered an apology to mo. In your presence, Mr Editor, he promised to publish it in the Patka Mail. Ho has riot yet done so. Until this is done, my notice of him will be confined to procuring the apology, or some satisfaction.—Yours, &c., G. F. SHERWOOD. P.S. —Mr Editor, you will please observe an avoidance of use of the capital “ I,” as Mr Dale and his friends appear to have monopolised the whole of those letters.